Kodansha USA Publishing announced that it has licensed the Gachiakuta and Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! manga for print release in fall, and the Love, That’s an Understatement for digital release in April.

Title: Gachiakuta
Author: Kei Urana
Debut Date: Fall 2023
Summary: A boy lives in a floating town, where the poor scrape by and the rich live a sumptuous life, simply casting their garbage off the side, into the abyss. When he’s falsely accused of murder, though, his wrongful conviction leads to an unimaginable punishment—exile off the edge, with the rest of the trash. Down on the surface, the cast-off waste of humanity has bred vicious monsters, and to travel the path to vengeance against those who cast him into Hell, a boy will have to become a warrior…

Urana launched the manga in Kodansha‘s Weekly Shōnen Magazine in February 2022. Hideyoshi Ando is credited for graffiti design. Kodansha published the manga’s fifth compiled volume on February 17.

Urana had revealed last August that the “overseas version” of the manga was in production.

Title: Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! (Akujiki Reijо̄ to Kyо̄ketsu Kо̄shaku ~Sono Mamono, Watashi ga Oishiku Itadakimasu!~)
Authors: Chika Mizube (illustrations), Kanata Hoshi (original story), Peperon (original character design)
Debut Date: Fall 2023
Summary: Like any proper noble lady, one must have certain acquired tastes. For Melphiera Marchalrayd, she just happens to crave a rather exotic protein—monsters! But do not judge! Despite its bad reputation, monster meat can be used in exquisite cuisine and Melphiera is determined to change the kingdom’s opinion of it! Unfortunately, since debuting in society, Melphiera has been struggling to find her perfect match…until she meets the fearless “Blood-Mad Duke” of Galbraith!

The manga based on the novel series of the same name debuted in pixiv ‘s “Palcy” manga app in 2021. The manga’s fifth volume shipped in Japan on Thursday.

Title: Love, That’s an Understatement (Hikaeme ni Ittemo, Kore wa Ai)
Author: Fujimomo
Debut Date: April 25
Spare eraser? Check. Extra folding umbrella? Check. First aid kit? Check. Cool and collected high school student Risa Amakawa has something in her heavy bag for every situation, and the last thing she needs—or knows how to ask for—is anyone’s help. When she saves a beat-up delinquent in the park one rainy evening, she refuses any sort of repayment. But it turns out that saving the notorious Zen Ohira buys her the attention of some unsavory characters. As Zen keeps swooping in to help her out of one pickle after another, her feelings about relying on anyone but herself—and her feelings toward Zen—slowly begin to change… A new romcom from the author of Lovesick Ellie!

The manga debuted in Kodansha‘s Dessert magazine in July 2021. The third compiled book volume shipped in Japan on March 13.

Fujimomo launched the Lovesick Ellie (Koi Wazurai no Ellie) manga in Kodansha‘s Dessert magazine in July 2015, and ended the manga in May 2020..

Source: Email correspondence

Game launches for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC on October 6

Bandai Namco Entertainment America began streaming an English-subtitled trailer for the Sword Art Online: Last Recollection action role-playing game on Thursday. The video previews the story and gameplay. It also reveals the Fire Goddess Ignia and the Wind Goddess Aeria:

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The game will launch in the West for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on October 6. The game will launch in Japan on October 5.

The game will tell its own version of the War of Underworld arc, different from the original light novel series or anime. The staff promises that the game will feature the franchise‘s largest character roster and number of story episodes. ReoNa is returning to the franchise to perform the game’s theme song “VITA.”

Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night, the first anime film in the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- anime film series, opened in Japan in October 2021. Sword Art Online The Movie – Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night, the second film, was slated to open on September 10 but opened on October 22 after a delay.

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The franchise is launching a “brand-new original film project.”

Source: Email correspondence

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Game was scheduled to debut on April 6

Developer Gotcha Gotcha Games revealed on Thursday that its RPG Maker Unite software has been delayed to a yet unannounced date in order “to further improve the product’s quality and stability.” The game was originally scheduled to debut on April 6.

The software will launch first on the Unity Asset Store. The Steam version is slated to launch later this year with a more optimized installation process.

The software was originally slated for 2022, but was delayed to spring 2023 to optimize the software to ensure proper back-end coordination with the Unity Editor.

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RPG Maker Unite will have both an English version and a Japanese version.

Gotcha Gotcha Games describes the software:

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Using the highly popular Unity Engine, RPG Maker Unite is here to provide a brand new experience for users old and new! Creating the RPG of your dreams has never been better!

Kadokawa released the previous entry RPG Maker MZ (RPG Tsukūru MZ) on PC via Steam in August 2020.

Source: Press release

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Disclosure: As of November 1, 2022, Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, has agreed to acquire majority control of Anime News Network. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.